Down in Smokvica at Jedinstvo PZ

For the larger part of the 20th century, wine production on Korčula was shuttled through two main collectives. The main one that most people would be familiar with is Pošip Čara. The other, Jedinstvo PZ in Smokvica, is much lesser known and has had something of a troubled past in recent history.

Their enolog had a heart attack in 2004. Then they split with their parent company, Badel 1892. Then there was a devastating hail storm in 2006 that destroyed nearly all the grapes that year. All things considered, it’s quite amazing that they’re still in business, but they are and striving to produce bigger and better wines with the 2007 wines the year that established their comeback.

Their 2006 and later vintages were a marked change, starting with their 2006 Pošip Superior. This is a curious wine as it was a from the few grapes that made it through the devastating storms of 2006. The wine is a late harvest wine. It is best served at room temperature, not chilled. Once opened, it develops a complex nose to it, opening up with sweet pear aromas. The body is even more interesting, because the wine is definitely sweeter than a standard Pošip. But, it is not overly sweet, being very balanced and enjoyable. The sweetness lingers to the point where while this is not a Dessert Wine, it’s recommended to be had at the end of the meal.

Then there is the 2007 Pošip. This is a delightful wine that rivals the best of the Pošips on Korčula. It comes as a surprise seeing as how the soil in Smokvica is much deeper and generally not considered ideal for grape growing. Whatever the case may be, the wine turned out fantastic. Straight from the bottle, it has typical Pošip qualities, with a sweet, floral nose. The body starts out pleasant, but not terribly complex. As the wine gets more air, it opens up beautifully. The nose gains more of a deeper honeysuckle quality. The body gets more pronounced with deep pear flavors supporting a thick and meaty body. The finish is clean and leaves just a touch of sweetness on your palate. A wonderful wine for food or for drinking by itself on a hot afternoon.

Lastly is the 2007 Pošip Centurion. This vintage weighs in heavy with 14.2% alcohol. This is very hot for the region and changes the qualities of the wine a great deal. The nose takes on mineral qualities with a bit of apricot, vanilla, and light floral scents. The body is unsurprisingly quite meaty and strong, while leading in to a finish that is best described as spicy. It’s a quite pleasurable finish. As the wine breaths more, both the body and the finish get a good deal drier. It’s a complex wine that merits slow drinking to admire all its intricacies.